Size-reducing device for hats.



PATENTED OCT. 16, 1906.-

R. 8; H. D. CURTIS.

SIZE REDUCING DEVICE FOR HATS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 29, l9( )5.

' INVENTOHS; E05

WITNESSES:

A TTOHN in: NORRIS PETERS co., wAsnmaroN, u. c.

UNITED sirrne PATENT" OFFICE.

ROBERT H. CURTIS, OF LONG BRANCH, AND HENRY D. CURTIS, OF RED BANK, NEW J ERSEYH SIZE-REDUCING DEVICE son HATS.

Patented Oct. 16, 1906.

Application filed December 29, 1905. Serial No 293.353.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT H. OURTIs, a resident of Long Branch, and HENRY D. CURTIS, a resident of Red Bank, in the county of Monmouth and State of New J ersey, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and Improved Size-Reducing Device for Hats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a device whereby the size of the hat, cap, or other article of headwear may be reduced at will from the normal size to any fraction of a size provided for by the construction of the device-a half-size, for example.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a reducing device which if present on the hat may be so contracted that the interior of the hat at the brim may be reduced in size all around or only at the front, back, and sides, or at any desirable single or multiple oints.

A further purpose of the invention is to so construct the device that it is applicable to the crown of any hat and whereby the reduction of size is accomplished by simply turning the free edge of the device from its upper or normal position to a lower position between the sweat-band and crown close to the point of connection between the crown and the brim.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which sim lar characters of reference indicate correspondin parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a vertica section through a hat, its sweat-band, and the device applied thereto, illustrating a portion of the device in normal position and a portion in position to reduce the size of the hat at the front, the device being applied directly to the crown of the hat; andFig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through a portionof the hat and applied device, illustrating the device in position to reduce the size at the front and at a side, the sweat-band being shown folded down.

A represents a hat, and B the sweat-band, attached thereto in the customary manner.

The device preferably consists of a series of leaves 0, usually four in number, to be located one at the front, one at the back, and one at each side of the crown of thehat and to occupy the space or a ortion of the space between the sweat-band and the inside of the crown of the hat; but any number of leaves maybe employed, or the device may consist of a single leaf, if preferred.

The leaves are made of thin leather or a fabric, either plain or rubber-coated, for example; but the breadth of the leaves 0 is by preference less than the breadth of the sweatband. The opposing ends of the leaves C may closely approach each other, or they may abut or overlap. The leaves C are to be applied to the crown of the hat A and are provided with a hem 12 at. one longitudinal edge, which is designated the attaching edge, and a strip 13 of thin spring material, such as steel or whalebone, is passed through the said hem 12 of all of the leaves. After the strip 13 has been adjusted to the contour of the crown of the hat its ends are secured together by wrapping, stitching, or other means, and the opposite longitudinal edge of each leaf the said edge is turned over to form a practically flat marginal rib 14. This rib may be formed by simply carrying the material over upon itself and securing the turned edges to the body by cement or other means, or'the said edge portions of the material may be turned over a thin strip of padding if it is desired to increase the thickness of the said ribs. In order that the leaves may be independently operated without interference one with the other, the end portions of the leaves are inclined from the outer end portions of the ribs to the opposite edge of the leaves, the inclinations ofthe said end portions being in direction of the center of the leaves, as is shown at 15 in the drawings.

In applying the just-described device to a hat the strip 13 is made to engage with the inner face of the crown of the hat at a point about midway between the upper and lower edges of the sweat-band when the sweat-band is in normal position as is shown in Fig. 1, and then the strip 13 is attached to the lining of the hat or to the material of the hat itself by means of stitching 16 or by any other suitable or approved means.

The improved device does not materially add to the weight of any hat.

It is obvious that the device may be unatplaced end to end, each leaf. having a. flat marginal rib at its normal upper longitudinal edge, anda continuous connecting-strip of spring materiall at their normal lower lone relation to each I o'r'up to bring their ribs at the junction of the gitudinal edges, whereby the device may be placedv between the crown of the hat and the sweat-band, independent of the latter, and either one or all of the leaves be folded down sweat-band and crown of the hat, or carry said ribs away from such points.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses ROBERT H. CURTIS. HENRY D. CURTIS. Witnesses:

J. FRED. AOKER, EVERAR-D' B. MARSHALL, 

